We have three different
vaccination courses available at PetCare Vets. Each of these courses is
explained below. At the beginning of each
explanation there is a paragraph describing how each program differs from the
other programs. Just follow the links above (next to the prices) to see these. The
chart below
makes the same comparisons in table format.

At PetCare Vets we offer three different vaccination
programs for puppies, but a puppy should not be vaccinated unless it is
absolutely healthy. If you have any doubts at all about your new puppy you
should let us see him at once. If you are happy, your puppy is active, playing,
eating and does not have any diarrhoea or vomiting, then let him settle in at
home for 24-48 hours and observe him.
We are happy to perform initial health check of new puppies
completely free of charge. This also gives us an excellent opportunity to take
some time to discuss and explain the complexities of puppy vaccination programs
of which ours are described below, and may sound a little daunting. It is also
an ideal time for worm treatments, flea prevention, insurance etc to be thought
about & discussed.
If you would like to take advantage of our free health
check scheme and for one of our qualified vets to check your new puppy, then
please call us on the following numbers for an appointment. If you simply have a
matter you are not sure about, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We hope to provide a friendly personal service at an
affordable price whilst maintaining a high standard of surgical and medical
veterinary care.

Please ring one of the freephone numbers shown above
to make an
appointment
or for advice

First Some Information About Puppy Vaccinations
We Think You Should Know About!
In this practice we do not believe that there
is a vaccination course that can be completed before the puppy
reaches 12 weeks of age. We do not believe that a vaccine course
exists that is better that 80% effective when the final injection is
given before the puppy is 12 weeks. We think the chances of any
vaccine failing to give protection when given to the puppy before 12
weeks of age is too high being 20% or more – this means one puppy in
5 will not be protected.
Further details and explanations for this can be found at
our website at www.petcarepractice.com/puppykittenvaccinations.html. It is our
belief that early finish vaccination courses (that is, those that end before 12
weeks of age - usually at 10 weeks), reflect competition between vaccine
manufacturers rather than protection of puppies’ health.
All three of our courses involve two injections of vaccine
with a minimum gap between them of 3 weeks, the final injection being given no
earlier than 12 weeks of age, and the first injection no younger than 6 weeks
old.
There is not a vaccine that exists that can be guaranteed
to be 100% effective in every animal. Whilst all our programs offer full
protection, each offers improved and better protection, should the puppy be
challenged by active disease particularly at an early age.
We have named our three vaccine programs as
Basic,
Standard
&
Advanced.
All our programs provide protection against the main life-threatening diseases. The seven diseases protected against are:

Our Basic Course,
whilst providing protection against the same diseases as the
standard and advanced courses, does not provide any protection early
on in the vaccination program. The early protection for these
puppies is dependent on the immunity provided by their mothers'
colostrum (first milk). The immunity from the mothers can vary
greatly. Full protection is totally dependent on the final injection
at 12 weeks old or later. For this reason puppies protected using
this program should not be allowed out onto the streets (where they
may pick up infection) until at least 2 weeks after the final
injection. (The standard and advanced courses only require a wait of
1 week after the final injection). This course is intended to assist
those owners where finance is a real issue.

If your puppy is over 18 weeks old, this course
(with the injections given in reverse order) may be perfectly
adequate and provide full protection within 1 week of the final
injection. Puppies should not be left deliberately until they are 18
weeks old to take advantage of this.

The Basic Course includes the following:

A full health check by a veterinarian.

Advice & Worm treatment included

Flea check and treatment included.

Four weeks free health insurance from Petplan.

Between 6 and 12 weeks of age, a
single painless vaccination injection
is given protecting against:

Two types of leptospirosis (Diseases from rats - The first is
Canicola fever or Weill’s disease. The second affects the liver causing
hepatitis)

Our Standard Course,
whilst providing protection against the same diseases as the
Basic and
Advanced courses, like the Advanced
course (and unlike
the Basic Course) it
does provide
some protection early on in the vaccination program and the puppy's
life. Protection for all diseases begins immediately with the first
injection and not just the final injection at 12 weeks old or later.
Even so, puppies protected using this program should not be allowed
out onto the streets immediately (where they may pick up infection)
but only have to wait one week after the final injection.

This program includes the following:

A full health check by a veterinarian.

Advice Worm treatment included

Flea check and treatment included.

Four weeks free health insurance from Petplan.

Between 6 and 12 weeks of age, a single
painless vaccination injection
protecting against:

Our Advanced Course,
whilst providing protection against the same diseases as the
Basic and
Standard courses, like the Standard
course (and unlike
the Basic Course) it
does provide
some protection early on in the vaccination program and the puppy's
life. Protection for all diseases begins immediately with the first
injection and not just the final injection at 12 weeks old or later.
Even so, puppies protected using this program should not be allowed
out onto the streets immediately (where they may pick up infection)
but only have to wait one week after the injection at 12 weeks of
age.

Unlike the Standard course, in addition a
Microchip is given to the puppy at the 12 week injection. Then at 16
weeks of age or later another injection is given which provides more
protection against Parvovirus but more importantly provides
additional protection against a threatening newer mutant variety of
Parvovirus. This third injection is particularly important for
certain breeds such as Dobermans, Alsatians (German Shepherds) &
Rotweillers etc., which have a breed susceptability to Parvovirus.

This program includes the following:

A full health check by a veterinarian

Advice & Worm treatment included

Flea check and treatment included.

Four weeks freee health insurance from Petplan

Between 6 and 12 weeks of age, a single
painless vaccination injection
protecting against: